Leaves from the Vine
by CalicoandTahpsfan
Summary: Seventeen years after the unthinkable happens, the next generation of Team Avatar is faced with a quest that will change their lives, and the rest of the world, forever. A quest that will test their physical and mental limits, their bonds with each other, and how far they are willing to go to find the impossible.
1. Prologue

Thanks for deciding to read Leaves from the Vine! We do not own Avatar, any of its characters or its plot. But the storyline in this fanfiction and the original characters are ours.

{LEAVES FROM THE VINE}

**Prologue**

**by Tahpsfan**

A bright, electrifying light lit up the sky around the Fire Nation war ship, which was currently being flown by three gangly passengers. The light blinded the two of whom could see such light. Sokka realized that something was wrong, for all the noise from the battle raging between his friend Aang and the tyrant Ozai, was gone. Quickly, Sokka searched for something on the command center to help him see his friend. He found the scope, and set it on the spot the light had come from.

Toph felt Sokka's anxiety change to something she's only felt in those who are deep in despair as he gazed out of the scope. Toph quickly shoved a chair under Sokka, for whatever he had seen had made him weak.

"Sokka!" Suki raced over as he fell into the chair. "What did you see? What's happening? Sokka speak to us!"

"He…Ozai…won…why…was ready…no…_no, no, no_!" Sokka started slamming his closed fists on the control panel of the ship.

Toph was afraid of Sokka's answer to her question, "Sokka, who won?"

Sokka stopped destroying the controls and stared into Toph's unseeing eyes. "Aang is dead."

Those three words instantly turned Sokka's train of thoughts to Katara, and now her love for the young Avatar and those three words would most likely kill the young waterbending master. And it was an ocean away that she would hear this news, without him.

{LEAVES FROM THE VINE}

After affirming Zuko's health, Katara helped him up to order the Fire Nation soldiers that were running around the grounds. "Make sure she's locked up securely." Zuko gestured to Azula, who was unconscious and currently being put into tight binds.

One of the Fire Sages ran up and bowed to Zuko. "When should we crown you, Prince Zuko?"

"I need to rest, and then meet up with the Avatar and friends," Zuko replied.

"Yes, my Lord." The Fire Sage the proceeded to escort Zuko and Katara to the throne room. Katara took quick notice of the two large barrels, probably containing water, on each side of the throne. "I'll return to check on the Fire Lord's condition." The sage was about to leave but a messenger rushed into him.

"This scroll needs to be read by the Fire Lord's eyes only!" The words rapidly fell out of the messenger's mouth. The nimble messenger the made his way up to the throne, bowed as he handed the thin scroll over to Zuko, and left as quickly as he came. Katara watched Zuko's face while he read the black-ribboned scroll with hope that it might tell of the victory Aang had achieved. Instead, Zuko's face changed to pure horror, which meant only one thing.

"Aang…he…" Zuko trailed off and as Katara realized what he meant, her face mirrored his. "Katara, we need to go meet up with Sokka." Zuko tried to get up, but fell back into his seat when a sharp pain ripped up his chest.

Katara's medical training kicked in, and knowing the severity of the situation, helped Zuko up and headed for the courtyard that held Appa. Even though Zuko needed assistance, the two benders made it to Appa unseen. Once in the air, Katara directed Appa towards Kyoshi Island, the chosen location for such an impossible event as this. She then joined Zuko in the saddle to finish healing him.

"You don't need to hold it in, Katara. It's unhealthy to do so. He wouldn't want you to get sick over him. Aang loved you so much, you know."

At that Katara sobbed harder than she did when her mother died, harder than when she thought that Aang had died at Ba Sing Se, harder than when he woke after that terrible scare. Zuko, who was never good with emotions or feelings, hugged Katara tightly and reassured her that everything was going to be okay, even though he himself didn't believe it.

What seemed like forever, but in reality was only a couple of hours, Katara stopped crying. Night was upon the two crippled travelers, yet neither wanted to sleep because of the nightmares that were sure to haunt them.

The sun was finally setting on the dreadful day as Sokka, Suki, and Toph were nearing Kyoshi Island. After ditching the Fire Nation war ship, the three managed to find an abandoned farm, and changed their mode of transport to an ostrich horse. While going through the farm they found some Earth Kingdom peasant clothing and changed into that from their battle gear.

A few hours later, they were stopped by the Kyoshi warriors, whom celebrated the return of their friends. Upon chatting with the group their joyous feelings were replaced with sorrow. The three were escorted into an empty house, for no one was awake in the village to discuss the ghastly news.

Around half an hour later, Katara and Zuko, who was being carried by Kyoshi warriors, burst into the house. After lowering Zuko comfortably onto a cot and helping Katara set up to heal him, everyone gather around the two. Sokka asked the obvious question, "What happened?"

"Azula. Zuko challenged her to an Agni Kai and then took a bolt of lightning to the chest for me. I ended up chaining her down, and she was taken away to some mental prison. We were in the throne room when the scroll…" Katara became vacant, and then focused on healing Zuko.

Sokka put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll talk after we figure out what we need to do next. We need some plan to get us through this."

"We need to find the next Avatar and train him or her, right?" Toph thought aloud. "Because of the cycle, we'll need to travel to both Water Tribes."

"How can we train the new Avatar if they are not old enough to bend?" Suki tried to torpid the group from rushing into things. "We'll have to wait at least a couple of years to find them. We will also need to do it in secret, since we'll be hunted by the Fire Nation indefinitely."

"We'll talk more on the plan tomorrow. Katara follow me," Sokka demanded.

"But Zuko needs to—"

"You need this more." Sokka walked out the front door and then to the rear of the house. "Katara you know you have several people here who care for you. And know that Aang loved you so much, he would hate himself for causing you this pain. None of us would want you to do anything…dramatic." Sokka put his hands on Katara's shoulder. "As your big brother, I am required to protect you, but I can't shield you from yourself."

Katara violently shook Sokka's hands from her shoulders. "How _dare _you Sokka! Do you think I would end my own life because I lost Aang? Yes, I do feel like sprinting into those waters and having the Unagi take me, but I know that will not solve anything! And there's something else I need to live for."

Sokka, utterly confused, came to a hasty conclusion. "You can't fight Ozai on your own! That's insane—"

"I might be pregnant!" Katara cried. Those four simple words caused very unpleasant thoughts, for Sokka, to crash through his brain.

"…Aang's?"

"Yes, about a week—"

"No." Sokka covered his ears quickly. "No, I don't need to hear anything else. I should be ashamed or disgraced, yet I kind of want to be an uncle. Just not this early. If you are, we will all help you cross that path."

Katara put Sokka into a tight embrace, surprising Sokka. Feeling his shoulder become wet, he squeezed his sister, and allowed the tears that he was holding in to rush down his face.


	2. In the Beginning

**In the Beginning**

**By Calico**

In the beginning, there were four elements. Katara was water, cool and flowing and healing. Zuko was fire, burning and consuming and passionate. Toph was earth, harsh and sturdy and protective. Aang was air, free and spirited, but he was also the Avatar: master of all four elements. Along with Sokka and Suki, the gang set out to defeat Fire Lord Ozai and restore balance to the world.

Until Aang died.

And the world was thrown into almost irreparable despair. Many types of bending were all but wiped out. But we survived, my mother and me, I mean. But with Azula in control and the Avatar still missing, hope is starting to cease to exist. This is the story told to rebel children like us. Because, what more is there? Without the elements, without the Avatar, it's just us and them. And they will crush us.

{ISHI}

It was a very pink butterfly. It fluttered along the dirt path I was following and into the bustling island village. Pink. It was such a pretty color. The color of hope.

People were running to and fro, trying to accomplish the daily tasks that consumed their lives. I spotted Aunt Suki with Hazuki at a fruit stand. Hazuki pointed at sea prunes, which she tended to have a taste for, like her father. I don't know how she could stand them! But Aunt Suki leaned forward to examine their quality, her hand rubbing protectively over her bulging stomach. She would probably give birth in the next month. Hazuki noticed as I strolled by, and waved good-naturedly. I waved back, but pointed to the sea prunes and gagged. She giggled.

I searched for my pink butterfly, and caught sight of its bright wings a few yards ahead. It was floating in small circles so I didn't bother to quicken my pace.

I passed Aunt Katara's house, and slowed to watch her bend from a small pot of water on the porch. Oh, she was cleaning. Kaimu emerged from the door behind her and called a quick 'bye' to his mother before heading in my direction. My heartbeat quickened and I slowed further, hoping he was going to stop to talk to me.

Afraid not, though, as he slipped past me with a hello and met up with Saya in front of her house across the street. They were probably going hunting. No wonder she wasn't with her mother and sister at the fruit stand. Uncle Sokka called for them to be careful, and waved at me before disappearing back into the house.

My pink butterfly was still doing circles but was still moving forward. Uncle Zuko and Aunt Mai's house was next door, and I spotted Koun lounging on the porch and waved at her as I walked by. She raised an eyebrow indifferently but her mother poked her head out and smiled at me. I had been told that she never used to show emotion, but after marrying Uncle Zuko she came out more. I had also heard that Koun had somewhat inherited that behavior.

I couldn't find my butterfly as I continued on, but I was already at my house. I climbed the steps and walked through the open door. There was no one inside, but crashes and thumps led me to the backyard. It was more of a large clearing surrounded by forest in which my mother had built her secret earthbending school. A series of obstacles were scattered around the yard, and my mother was in the middle screaming at her students. They dispersed and began doing various tasks.

"Keep your knees high, Ren!" she shouted at a young man. I thought that this was his third or fourth lesson. He had been living in the attic of our house, seeing as he was from the mainland.

"Hi mom!" I called to her, and she smiled and turned her head in my direction. I figured she probably already knew that I was there, what with seeing with her feet, but I felt the need to alert her of my presence. Sometimes I worried she forgot that I was here.

"Where have you been, Ishi? You'd have better of brought the herbs," she commented, striding over to my position on the porch.

I shuffled around in the pocket of my dress until I produced small cloth bundle. "They didn't have much," I told her as I handed her the bundle. "But they'll be getting a new shipment in next week."

My mother inspected the bundle by rolling it around in her hand and smiled. "I was worried that you had gotten distracted like last time."

"I only went for a short swim," I said sheepishly. My mother only laughed handed me the herbs, and asked for a cup of tea.

I wandered back into the house and to the kitchen. I was surprised to see Uncle Sokka rummaging around in our cabinets. When he heard my entrance he jumped and hit his head. I began to fill a teapot with water as he rubbed the knot forming on his head.

"What are you doing, Uncle Sokka?" I questioned. He was holding an elongated jar in his hand.

He sighed. "Don't tell Suki. Your mother keeps my secret stash of seal jerky. Suki doesn't want me eating it because I always make myself sick with it."

I giggled. Aunt Suki kept such a tight rope on him. I left the pot of water to heat, and began mixing herbs.

"Making tea?" Uncle Sokka inquired.

"Yes, just as my mom requested."

"She never used to drink so much tea. I think it was something she picked up from Grandpa Iroh."

"Really?" I poured my mix of herbs into a cloth bag and slipped it into the now boiling teapot.

"Yeah. Those were the days," Uncle Sokka murmured wistfully as he wandered away, a strip of seal jerky in hand. As I watched him walk into the next room, I felt bad for him.

They had lost so much.

{SAYA}

The village buzzed around me, and I sighed and tried to clock it all out. I was tired from my night hunting practice and the noisy town was preventing me from napping. I shifted on my branch, trying to get comfortable, when I heard footsteps approaching my position.

I brought myself into a squatting position to peer out of the tree without rustling any leaves. A figure appeared below me, and I poised myself to spring. I realized who it was too late, and I landed perfectly on his shoulders and forced him to the ground.

I found myself staring into startled gray eyes. "You're interrupting my nap, "I growled, still keeping him pinned to the ground.

"Doesn't look like you're sleeping," he fired back, and I scowled.

"Haven't you had enough of my time today?" I asked, and relented. I leaned back onto my feet and he rose into a sitting position. "I'm really tired, Kaimu."

He looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry. They sent me to come find you and tell you that dinner is ready. Of course, I know this is your favorite sleeping spot."

I ignored his comment about my sleeping spot and asked, "Whose house?"

"Mine. My mom is pretty happy about hosting tonight. She was cleaning all day," Kaimu recalled.

I laughed. "Sounds like Aunt Katara is in a good mood today."

"Yeah." It was quiet for a while and we sat facing each other listening to the wind whip through the trees.

"Why don't we go and eat?" I suggested. We rose to our feet and walked around my house (my tree being in my backyard) and across the street to Kaimu's house.

It was busy inside and I had to carefully work my way back to my mother. She was carrying a bowl of stewed sea prunes and she shoved it into my arms so that she could carry two baskets of bread. I wrinkled my nose at the scent of them and followed my mother to the table.

Most of the other kids were seated at the table. I suppose they were better off out of the way than helping. My father came over and took his seat as I set the sea prunes down. My mother glared at him, but after she had deposited the bread he leapt up to hold out a chair for her.

Kaimu got my chair for me, and took the one beside me for himself. I was aware of the stares emanating from Koun and Ishi at the other end of the table. I rolled my eyes at their jealousy. It was so misplaced. We only spent so much time together because we grew up so close. Plus, didn't they realize we were cousins? I suppose that their massive crushes on Kaimu got in the way of them seeing that.

That much at least was evident, as half the night their eyes were trained on our close proximity. The food was good, as it usually was on these weekly dinners. Our parents liked to get together to talk politics and reminisce afterwards, and today was no different.

Stuffed to the brim with the turkey-hog Kaimu and I had caught earlier, I trailed behind the group as we headed upstairs to our room. The parents liked to have their peace, so they transformed a room just for us to hang out in. As we wandered past the parent's room, voices floated out. I grabbed Kaimu by the collar of his shirt and motioned toward the door. He nodded, and we crouched outside the narrow beam of light spilling out while everyone else continued upstairs.

Inside the adults were clustered together. My father and mother sat close together on a love seat, their hands clasped. Uncle Zuko and Aunt Mai shared a seat, and I was slightly disturbed by their open display of affection. Aunt Toph sat on the hearth, listening intently. Kaimu's mother was sitting with a rather large amount of space between her and Uncle Tadao, and I felt a pang of sympathy for them. Aunt Katara was still obviously not healed.

Kaimu flicked my arm and when I scowled at him he pointed to his ear and then to the door. _Listen_, I could hear him say. I turned my attention back to the parents, tuning into their conversation.

"I think that we should start at the North Pole. It's likely she's old enough to have discovered her abilities," my father concluded. Who was he talking about?

"I agree with Snoozles. He has a decent point. We know that she'll be a waterbender, and the highest concentration of those is at the North Pole," Aunt Toph said.

"Especially after the last major raid on the Southern Water Tribe by Ozai's secret police. Most of the remaining inhabitants migrated to the Northern Tribe," my mom added.

"Yes, it seems the Phoenix Raiders have done some of our job for us," Uncle Tadao commented.

"Except they could have possibly killed her," Aunt Katara mumbled. Everyone fell quiet and I felt another stab of sympathy for Uncle Tadao. Kaimu and I exchanged glances.

"So all we know about this elusive Avatar is that it's a girl?" Aunt Toph questioned.

"That's the only information Aang gave me in my dream. That the new Avatar—" Aunt Katara choked a little, as if the information was unbearably painful, "—is a girl and a waterbender." Aunt Katara cleared her throat again and looked away.

"But there's always the chance that she could be a waterbender in a different nation," Uncle Zuko said.

"Great spirits, there is no way that I am going back to that swamp!" my father exclaimed. The room dissolved into laughter and Aunt Katara relaxed a little.

A new Avatar!

An _Avatar_!

The thought made me giddy and disappointed at the same time. There was a chance that the world could regain balance again, but it also meant that there was no chance that Aang was alive. But if there was a new Avatar, then why hadn't they found her yet?

Kaimu was giving me a confused look, and then a worried one as he saw the wheels in my brain turning.

"Sokka," Aunt Toph started, and I turned to continue listening, "the kids are just about old enough to look after themselves. Should we consider beginning the search ourselves?"

"It would be more helpful than our contacts around the world. They can't really tell us anymore than what they've seen," Aunt Mai said.

"But what about Suki?" my father piped up. All eyes turned to the pregnant woman.

"I'll be fine," she reassured them, patting her swollen stomach. Maybe in another month she would be due. "Even if I can't fight, I'm pretty good at defensive moves." My mind wandered back to last week, when I'd stumbled across my mother practicing there defensive moves. They had all been thinking of this for a while.

"Are you sure it's safe to leave the kids here all along, though?" Zuko fretted. I smiled, amused at how different he seemed from the aloof, banished prince of my parents anecdotes. "What if something happens to us?"

Aunt Katara, who had been silent up until this point, spoke, "Then they will fend for themselves. The safety of the world is much bigger than ourselves." Everyone was shocked into silence.

I almost crept away, but Aunt Toph broke the silence. "Then it's settled. We'll begin preparations to find and retrieve the new Avatar." Everyone nodded quietly, and I moved away from the door. Even though I couldn't see or hear him, Kaimu got up and followed, letting me know by brushing his hand across my back.

I released the breath I had been holding and relaxed my posture as we reached the stairs. Kaimu stopped beside me, and for a while we simply stared at each other, shocked beyond words at the turn of events our lives had taken.

The Avatar?

There had been no talk of the Avatar except in bed time stories. Mention of Aang depressed Aunt Katara. So it was something unspoken and quickly forgotten. And now our that our parents were leaving to pursue this Avatar, the situation had become more real than I wanted to imagine.

They could die. We could die. I tried to imagine what it would feel like to find my mother and sister and father dead, but it was so painful I had to stop. _The safety of the world if much bigger than ourselves._ Aunt Katara's words rang in my mind, and I hardened my resolve. I knew what could be done, should be done. The plan was forming. All I had to do was tell everyone else.

{KOUN}

It was a restless, anxious feeling, and I could hardly stand it. Saya and Kaimu had been gone for some time now, and as I was pacing the length of the room, I couldn't help but wonder what they were up to. Ishi was watching me with a worried expression on her soft face, and I instantly felt bad. I lowered myself onto a pillow beside her and she smiled. If I had kept on pacing like that, then she would have surely discovered my feelings in the jealousy of Saya and the Kaimu. I returned a small smile, and tried to relax. Everyone else was.

Hazuki was messing with some knives on the other side of the room. It looked as if she was trying to carve something out of wood. Ishi had practically fallen asleep after I'd sat down. Even Ren, Aunt Toph's newest earthbending student and housemate, was relaxed, leaning against the window seal and feeling the soft night breeze. Momentarily I wondered why he was here, then remember that Aunt Toph had invited him to have dinner with us tonight.

I leaned back. Alright, relax. I leapt to my feet as Saya and Kaimu burst through the door. So much for relaxing. The two looked shocked, but underneath that Saya wore a look of determination while Kaimu appeared concerned.

What had happened?

"Alright, listen up," Saya commanded, pulling a stool over and planting herself on it. "You won't believe what I just heard." Kaimu sat on the floor next to her, and Ren shifted on the window to look at her. I prodded Ishi, and her eyes fluttered open. I motioned for her to listen.

"What's going on?" I asked. Saya narrowed her eyes and began to explain how she had overheard the parents talking. Her words were met with silence as she told us about the new Avatar.

"But what does this mean?" Ishi prompted, interrupting Saya's account.

"Listen," Saya snapped. She then took a deep breath and continued, "The adults are going to leave to find this new Avatar."

"But why?" Hazuki broke out, and I had almost forgotten that she was in the room.

"Because they believe that we're old enough to look after ourselves. And they're right," Saya explained to her sister.

"What about Mom?" Hazuki pressed. My mind flickered to Aunt Suki, and her rather large stomach. How was she supposed to travel?

"Mom has been learning defensive moves in secret. They've been planning this for a while now. Kaimu and I managed to listen in on the actual decision being made." The room fell quiet as she finished. Then after a few moments all eyes turned to stare at Kaimu, expecting commentary.

He realized this, but turned to Saya instead. "What are you planning?"

Saya looked taken aback, and the mischief danced in her eyes. "I figure that if we can find the new Avatar, then our parents won't have to leave. I mean, this girl must be around our age. And she's water tribe. We have a place to start looking."

"But if she was so easy to find, then why haven't the Fire Nation found her yet?" Ishi asked, and Saya pondered her question.

"We have an advantage over them. We know that the new Avatar is a girl, and we can talk to people on a more friendly level than the Fire Nation," Saya answered.

The room was silent as all minds considered the plan. I watched as Ren turned his back on Saya to look out the window, and I assumed he was no longer interested. The prospect sounded appealing, and I wanted to go. Though I suspected Saya was just using out parents possible absence as an excuse to go on an adventure. I sunk back into my seat, a movement no one seemed to notice. And then I raised my hand.

"I'm in," I said simply. The rest stared at me as if I'd grown a second head resembling the Unagi, except Saya who smirked. The Ishi took to her feet and echoed fervently, "I'm in, too." Saya was working her way to a full-blown smile as everyone else chimed in. When all had agreed, Saya spoke.

"That's that then. Everyone pack your things. We leave at the end of the week."


End file.
